The Platte River
I've been considering borrowing one of my son-in-law's bicycles and riding up the Platte River to take pictures. The area is known as Waterton Canyon and is a popular hike and bicycle ride for the locals. I've walked up the Canyon before, but I think I could get some better pictures if I rode a bicycle, because I can get to more places. This time of year, the snow is melting in the high country, so the Platte River is beginning to run faster and showing more whitewater, which makes for better river photographs.
The South Platte was named Niinéniiniicíihéhe by the Arapahoe tribe... Try and say that three times fast. But it was changed to Rio Chato because the Spanish couldn't pronounce Niinéniiniicíihéhe. And later, it was renamed to Rio Jesus Maria. French fur trappers who apparently couldn't speak Arapahoe or Spanish renamed the river "Platte", which is French for flat, and since I don't speak French, Spanish, or Arapahoe, I call it "the river". Which is the same name I give every river I have to cross.
Since history is a favorite subject of mine, and the naming of the Platte River is very historic, I believe there should be a test in one of my future blog posts to see if anyone is paying attention to the various names given to "the river". And anyone failing said test should be required to repeat the name Niinéniiniicíihéhe until your tongue falls out of your mouth and flops around on the floor like a fish.
Theboondork, but you can call me Niinéniiniicíihéhe for short.
White Orchids.
Close-up of a white Orchid.
One of my boondocking neighbors at the Bass Pro Shop parking lot.